Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile: School kids celebrate physical activity and achieving their running goals at Letzigrund Stadium
«On your marks, get set, go!» The famous athletics starting signal often sounds at Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich. The competition held on the occasion of the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile today was not about times or records at all, however. The Extra Mile explores long-distance running by learning about self-assessment and by making progress on an individual level, rather than with the help of timekeeping and race results. A goal that was clearly achieved, as the happy faces of the more than 2 300 students who crossed the finish line showed!
The two Co-Meeting Directors of Weltklasse Zürich, Andreas Hediger and Christoph Joho were both very happy with the first major final event of this year’s Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile season.
“It was fantastic to see so many excited children and youngsters tackling the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile with joy and commitment! And we are delighted, of course, that our project has been received so well in as many as six cantons so far, and that so many teachers commit to prepare for the event with their students,” Andreas Hediger commented.
“The Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile project has grown again this year, and we have been able to reach more and more young people through our sport. Relevant and sustainable social commitment is a priority for us. With our initiatives, such as the Extra Mile, we can boost important values and promote exercise, self-reflection, and a positive mindset among young people,” Christoph Joho added.
School students from the cantons of Argovia, St. Gallen, Zug, and Zurich participated at today’s final, an event that offered both a unique setting and an exciting atmosphere. After training individually during gym classes over the course of eight weeks, participants lined up for the Extra Mile at the stadium today. The extraordinary run led them across the infield and down the home straight of Zurich’s magic track. Along the course, Olympic champion Nicola Spirig, the Weltklasse Zürich team, and mascot Leo Letzi were cheering.
Three Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile final events are still to follow this year: Next week, on 10 June, there will be an Extra Mile at Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium, a collaboration with BSC Young Boys and the Grand Prix von Bern. And after a summer break, students will begin their run upon the “On your marks, get set, Extra Mile!” command at the Park im Grünen “Grün 80 in Münchenstein (Basel-Country) on 19 September 2024. And this year’s final Extra Mile will get underway at Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich on 24 September 2024.
About the Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile:
Participating school students begin their project by completing a mile (1609 metres) in a playful way and on a special course across their school premises. Then, they start exploring, again in a playful way, aspects of long-distance running (which is part of the Lehrplan 21 physical education curriculum) in pre-designed lessons.
Running the distance within a certain time or in competition with others is not important. The project is all about self-assessment, self-reflection, and about making individual progress. Students work with an Extra Mile journal, the «Extrameilen-Büchlein», that will guide them through their project. At final events, they will try to reach the goals they set for themselves in another mile run.
The Weltklasse Zürich Extra Mile is supported by the sports and education departments of the participating cities and cantons, by Swiss Athletics, by the Freude herrscht foundation, and by Dar Vida.
